I was in BA at the time the Tristar was introduced to the RAF and it was the opinion of some of the BA Tristar experts ( both flight & Ground crew) that some of the RAF policy makers were simply out of their depth and trying to impose an operating system to the Tristar that was far more appropriate to the HP Hastings.
Both the frontline flight & ground crews that the RAF had on the project were generally respected for their abilitys and professionalism but the direction from above was poor, from what I have been told the accident was more a product of systematic failure within the RAF to adapt to the Tristar and draw fully on the expertise avalable within BA.
Unfortunately recognition of the honest mistake and military discipline are not compatible especially when those at the top can find a way of shift in the blame onto some poor unfortunate who has made an honest mistake.